1. Field of the Invention
The invention is related to an improved snowboard.
2. Description of Background and Relevant Information
A snowboard is device for gliding over snow on which both feet of the user are separated from one another along the board and are fixed along a substantially transverse or inclined orientation with respect to the longitudinal axis of the board.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,900,204 is the first disclosure to teach the most suitable positioning of the bindings for the practice of this sport.
In the practice of this discipline, the rocking forces generated at turns are translated by a combination of substantial bending and torsional forces between the feet of the snow boarder. Consequently, this portion of the board is a zone subject to deliberately forceful stresses which the snowboarder must be able to master under all circumstances.
However, it has been measured, especially at very fast speeds, that this portion of the board is subject to localized vibrational phenomena appearing at frequencies greater than 10 Hertz, and most of these are caused by small jolts and the unevenness of the terrain, and have nothing to do with the deliberate deformations caused by the snowboarder himself when he executes turns. These vibrational phenomena disturb the performance of the board, which thus become difficult to handle.
Thus, there is a need for shock-absorption between the feet of the snowboarder, while simultaneously retaining a certain flexibility in bending and torsion that is necessary to handle the board in a turn. The main objective is therefore to dampen the adverse vibrations without adding static stiffness in the central zone.
The document FR-A-2 665 081 is related to a snowboard having a symmetrical construction with a shock-absorption device located, in all cases, at the front of the board in an asymmetrical manner so as to provide a shock-absorption that is preponderant on the "back-side". In a known manner, this is a plate having a high modulus that stresses a layer of visco-elastic material connected to the board.
However, it has been noted that in the current manner of snowboarding, the front and rear zones are used to make figures by taking support on these zones and taking advantage of their elasticity in order to bound or jump.
One especially famous figure style, known as "Ollie" consists of taking support on the rear of the board with one's entire weight and then of taking advantage of the spring effect to surge forward. As such, it is important not to diminish the elasticity in these zones with a shock-absorption device.
In addition, the device according to this document adds too much stiffness to the zone where it is located due to the fact that the elongate facing is adhered along the entire surface of the board. Thus, one cannot equip the central portion of the snow board with such a device without affecting its flexibility, and therefore the ease of handling of the board.
The document FR 2 729 086 is related to a snowboard equipped with a shock-absorption device formed of visco-elastic strips that are stressed by a material having a high elasticity modulus and as such, this disclosure has the same disadvantages as the solution of the document FR-A-2 665 081.